Alabama fans have high expectations as 2013 season looms

Thursday

Jul 18, 2013 at 1:27 PM

HOOVER | As Alabama head football coach Nick Saban was expressing his respect for the challenges of a Southeastern Conference schedule in the upstairs ballroom of the Wynfrey Hotel, Crimson Tide fans gathered in the lobby for a glimpse or autograph from the coach or a favorite player weren't particularly worried about the opponents this team will face in the upcoming season.

By Jason MortonStaff Writer

HOOVER | Even as Alabama head football coach Nick Saban expressed his respect for the challenges of a Southeastern Conference schedule in the upstairs ballroom of the Wynfrey Hotel on Thursday, Crimson Tide fans gathered in the lobby couldn’t contain their optimism.The Tide fans, hoping for a glimpse or autograph from the coach or a favorite player, weren’t too worried about the opponents the team will face this season.The sentiment among Tide fans who turned out for the 2013 SEC Media Days was one of optimistic expectation, barring the loss of a key player or some unforeseen circumstance.And they don’t just expect a winning season.Alabama fans seem to be in agreement that this year could bring another crystal football to the Hall of Champions in the Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility.“I think they can repeat as national champions if they can stay away from serious injuries,” sad Marc Stewart of Anniston. “I just expect a lot this year.”Stewart, 59, said he has attended every national championship game Alabama has played since 1978. That’s a total of six — 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011 and 2012.He referenced the tumult that the Alabama football program experienced between the retirement of head coach Gene Stallings and the hiring of Saban to say that the inconsistency he saw on the field then no longer exists.That, Stewart said, is why he wouldn’t be surprised to see a 16th national title — or more — written soon into Crimson Tide lore.“Now, I think we’re stable in our coaching staff and the players are committed and I’m looking for another couple of championships in the next few years,” Stewart said.Michelle Edwards of Phenix City said her main concern was the team getting too comfortable with its success. “Now that we have those national championships under our belt, I hope the players don’t just expect the next one to come,” said Edwards, 40.But that’s not stopping her from expecting another national title this year or halting her wedding plans. Despite the success of LSU in Tuscaloosa in recent years, Edwards and her fiance, 52-year-old Chuck Grimes, plan to wed on the Quad before the Nov. 9 kickoff against the Bengal Tigers.Across the crowded lobby that easily exceeded the fire marshal’s posted limit of 115 people, Ray Hall and his son, Kenny, of Huntsville were waiting on an autograph from Saban to go with those they had already snagged from quarterback AJ McCarron, linebacker C.J. Mosley and offensive lineman Anthony Steen.Hall, 38, was quick to admit that, as an Illinois native, his heart lies with the Big 10.But he said he was a bigger fan of his 8-year-old son, who adores the Crimson Tide — the boy’s favorite player is McCarron, Hall said — and for that reason, he made his first trek to the Wynfrey Hotel for this year’s Media Days.As his son waited patiently for Saban to come by, Hall said that it was impossible not to appreciate what Saban and the Crimson Tide have been able to accomplish.“Being a Big 10 fan, it’s kind of hard to watch,” Hall said, “but you have to respect what you’re seeing on the field.”He’s also seen something in the head coach’s style of leading his teams that he hopes can help him better guide his son into adulthood. Hall credited Alabama’s success to Saban’s methodical approach of setting a goal and systematically going through the steps necessary to attain it.“Those are the things I want to teach my son,” Hall said.Gary Glassman and Gary Helton of Huntsville were waiting on some autographs from Alabama players.They, too, expressed little concern about the 2013 season, with Glassman, 16, saying he worried only about the Texas A&M game on Sept. 14.Helton, however, was sharing none of those concerns.“First of all, you’ve got to keep everybody healthy,” said Helton, 49, who had brought his 13-year-old son, Bradlee, along for the trip. “I know we’ve got a lot of talent down there, but you’ve also got the have the experience.”Helton and his son said they believe the schedule lines up nicely for Alabama to make another title run.But Helton said there’s also one intangible that no other team has that puts Alabama above all the others.“Like I tell everybody,” Helton said, “we got one thing that no one else has got — the best coach in the country.”